Car-brake



(No Model.)

B. J. BROWN.

GAR BRAKE.

No. 363,722. Patented May 24, 1887.

)fzbzwda fizz/enforjm vyau m UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT J. BROWN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 363,722, dated May 24, 1887.

Application filed March 9,1887. Serial No. 230,218. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT J. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Brakes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates more especially to brakes for street-railway cars, and which are usually composed of a vertical shaft provided at its upper end with a crank or handle, a

' chain, rods, lever, and brake-shoes. The chain which runs from the brake-shaft to the brakerod frequently gets broken during the passage hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figurelrepsents a front elevation of a portion of a streetcar involving my invention, part of the dashboard thereof being broken away to exhibit some of the devices which in practice are located in the rear thereof. Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the same. Fig. 3 is a top view of the devices which are secured upon the platform of the car in the vicinity of the locality usually occupied by the driver. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section taken at the line was of Fig. 3.

In the several views the same part will be found designated by the same numeral or letter of reference.

A represents the platform of a car, and B the dashboard thereof, made and secured to the platform in about the usual manner.

0 represents the brake shaft or spindle, which, as customary, is mounted vertically in brackets c c, and is provided at its upper end with a handle or crank, d, and at its lower portion with a ratchet-wheel, e, for use in connection with a pawl or dog pivoted upon the platform, but which is omitted from the-drawings, as it forms no part of my invention.

D represents the brake chain, which, as usual, is secured at one end to the lower end of the brake-shaft, and at the other end to a brake-rod, E, that in turn is connected to the brake-lever F.

The brake-lever F is only partially illustrated; but it will be understood that it is suspended from the bottom of the car and operates through interveniug mechanism to apply the brake-shoes to the wheels of the car in the well-known manner.

G is the draw hook or head of the car.

At the lower end of the brake-shaft is secured a gear-wheel, H. v

2 is an auxiliary vertically-arranged shaft, the upper end of which is preferably secured in a housing, box, or frame, which is adapted to slide in an opening made in the car-platform. The upper end of the shaft is formed with a groove or circular depression, 4, and a screw pin or stud, 5, passing through a hole in the frame or box, is seated therein, and by this means the shaft 2 is held against longitudinal movement within the housing, although free to rotate.

At the lower end of the shaft 2, beneath the platform, is secured another gear-wheel, 6. One end of a chain, 7, is made fast to the lower end of the shaft 2 and the other end to the forward end of a brake-rod, 8, the rear end of with) when depressed or lowered. The under side of the bolt is provided with a rack, 14, and a toothed lever or arm, 15, pivoted at 16 in the casing, is engaged therewith for the purpose of retracting the bolt, as will hereintion, I will proceed to explain the mode of operation thereof.

When the main brake-chain D is in working order, I purpose to have the parts of my novel contrivance in the position indicated in full lines at Fig. 1, and the said chain may be wound upon and unwound from the brakeshaft 0 and apply and release the brake-shoes in the usual way. In the event of the main chain parting, the driver of the car may press his foot upon the sliding frame or housing 3 and against the tension of the spring 17, and push it and the gear-wheel and shaft of the same down into the position indicated by dotted lines at Fig. 1, when the retaining-bolt 11 will pass into the notch 10 in the frame and hold the same and its appendages in the depressed condition mentioned.

The gear-wheels are relatively so arranged that upon the depression of the gear 6 the teeth of the two wheels will be thrown into engagement. When the wheel 6 shall have been thrown into gear with the wheel H, the driver may rotate the brake-shaft in the usual manner, and the power and motion thereof will be transmitted to the Wheel 6 and shaft 2, and the chain 7 wound upon the latter, effecting thereby the vibration of the brake-lever and the application of the brake-shoes to the wheels of the car. To release the brakes, the driver has simply to let go of the crankhandle of the brake-shaft, as he would do were the secondary chain and shaft not used.

Upon the return of the car to the depot or shop,and after therepairingof thebroken chain D, the auxiliary chain and brake-shaft may be thrown out of connection with the main brakeshaft by simply pressing the foot upon the elevated end of the lever 15', thereby withdrawing the bolt lland permitting the spring 17 to raise the frame or support 3, and with it the shaft 2 and gear-wheel 6.

Although I prefer to have the gear-wheels H and 6 remain out of engagement while the chain D is in an operative condition, it will be understood of course that they may be kept in engagement and both chains and brake-rods E and 8 be made to operatesimultaneously.

It'will be seen that by my invention a simple means is provided whereby, upon the parting of the brakechain proper of the car, an-

other chain may beinstantly thrown into operation to take its place and thus give the driver control of the car.

Although I have shown my invention as applied to horse-cars, it will be understood of course that the same may be used upon freight or other carsor vehicles, and that many changes may be made in the devices employed by me without departing from the spirit of my invention. 7

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a car-brake, the combination, with the brake-shaft, of the vertically-moving auxiliary shaft 2, the gear-wheel 6, and the chain 7, as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a car-brake, the combination, with the brake-shaft, of the gear-wheel H, the sliding housing, the auxiliary shaft 2, the gear-wheel 6, and the chain 7, as and for the purposes set forth.

3. Ina car-brake, the combination, with the brake-shaft, of the gear-wheel H, the sliding housing, the auxiliary shaft 2, the gear-wheel 6, the chain 7, and a stop to limit the movement of the housing, as and for the purposes set forth. v

4. In a car-brake, the combination, with the brake-shaft, of the gear-wheel H, the sliding housing, the auxiliary shaft 2, the gear-wheel 6, the chain 7, and a spring for returning the housing and its appendages, as set forth.

5. In a car-brake, the combination, with the brake-shaft, of the gear-wheel H, the sliding housing, the auxiliary shaft 2, the gear-wheel 6, the chain 7, and a bolt or locking device for retaining said housing and its appendages in their depressed condition, as set forth.

6. Ina car-brake, the combination, with the brake-shaft, of the gear-wheel H, the sliding housing, the auxiliaryshaft2, mounted therein, the gear-wheel 6, the chain 7, the locking bolt or device, and means, substantially such as described, for retracting the latter.

7. In a car-brake, the combination, with the brake-shaft, of an auxiliary shaft and chain 7, I

normally out of engagement, but adapted by means, substantially such as described, to be thrown into engagement therewith, as and for the purposes set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New-York, this 8th day of March, A. D. 1887.

, ROBT. J. BROWN. \Vitnesses:

J AOOB FELBEL, \VM. 0. OVENDEN. 

